GlobalFoundries secures $300M US CHIPS grant for AI silicon photonics

GlobalFoundries announced a signed letter of intent with the US Department of Commerce for a potential $300 million（約480億円） award aimed at accelerating US development of silicon photonics technologies. These technologies are designed for deployment in AI and high-performance computing data centres. Silicon photonics uses light rather than electrical signals to transmit data, a shift that proponents argue can unlock higher bandwidth and lower latency in the interconnects that link processors and memory within large-scale computing systems. The award, if fully realized, would support GlobalFoundries' efforts to manufacture this technology domestically, reducing reliance on foreign suppliers and building US capability in a field essential to the infrastructure underpinning modern artificial intelligence systems. The letter of intent does not represent a final commitment; GlobalFoundries and the Department of Commerce must still finalize the terms and conditions governing the award.

The award represents a strategic US government investment in semiconductor infrastructure critical to AI deployment. Silicon photonics addresses a real constraint in modern data centres: as AI models grow larger and demand higher data throughput, traditional copper-based interconnects become a bottleneck. By backing GlobalFoundries' development of this technology, the Department of Commerce is positioning the US to build domestic manufacturing capacity in a field where international competition is intensifying. The letter of intent signals intent but does not guarantee funding; finalization of terms remains ahead.

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